Online petition launched: “Venice Needs More Cops!”

Collins said the petition will be delivered to eight officials, including LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, and area L.A. councilman Mike Bonin.

Collins writes:

Many of our neighborhoods in Venice are under siege. Increasingly, we are becoming victims of crime in our own homes and on our sidewalks. We are imploring you to help. Please support the request of our Councilman Mike Bonin, and grant us additional LAPD resources. In the past several months, there have a rash of burglaries, assaults, and increasingly brazen home invasion robberies committed by criminals who hide among the increasing transient population in Venice. Venice Beach is an open air drug market. Some of our residential streets are becoming toilets. We understand the City’s hands are ties by Lavan and Jones and Desertrain, but we need more police to strictly and aggressively enforce the rules they can enforce. Venice needs more cops. Venice needs more police enforcement. Venice needs it now. And Venice needs it desperately. Councilman Bonin has repeatedly requested more police, but LAPD has not listened. There is no sign Venice has received additional resources. The problems seem to be getting worse in the neighborhoods near Venice Beach. We implore you — WE NEED MORE COPS. When similar problems happened downtown, LAPD assigned significantly more resources.When similar problems happened in Hollywood, LAPD assigned a permanent detail of dedicated officers. Venice deserves the same treatment.

Yo! Venice! was started by two friends, Keri and Bret, to create a communal blog for residents of Venice Beach California.
In today’s world of RSS feeds, they felt that a blog would be a perfect place for people to let others know how they view the Venice Beach community through words and pictures. It is hoped that this site will become a communal blog with many people submitting stories for all in the community to share.